Sóller is a town located near the north west coast of Mallorca. It is set in a greenvalley surrounded by Mallorca's highest mountains. Much of the town is residential and agricultural: it is full of orange and olive groves. The resort area of Port de Sóller is two kilometres away and is much more tourist oriented.

The combined population of Sóller and Port de Sóller is 12 000. New building has done much to spoil the town but the buildings in the old town, many of them art nouveau, are usually high enough to enable you to forget the damage.

Get in

By car

Sóller is twenty kilometres drive north of Palma de Mallorca on route C-711. Its a little tricky to get into the center of the city. In the first round-about after the tunnel, take the first right and then you will manage.

By train

The Ferrocarril de Sóller train service runs between Palma's Plaza d'Espanya and Sóller six times a day between 8am and 7pm. Tickets are €9,00 single and €14 return and can be purchased at the station half an hour before the train leaves. The train journey is slow, taking over an hour, but is scenic, with marvellous views of the mountains on both sides of the tunnel. Note that even in the lower seasons, the train can be very crowded. The trains are very old fashihned with viewing platforms outside at front and rear of each coach and the line is narrow gauge.

By bus

TIB operates several bus services to Port de Sóller. The IB-09 service operates between Palma and Port de Sóller; the IB-12 service operates between Peguera, Valldemossa and Port de Sóller; and the IB-15 service operates, except in winter, between Port de Pollença, Lluc, and Port de Sóller.

Get around

A tram service operates between the Sóller train station and Port de Sóller approximately every half hour between 7am and 8:30pm. Tickets are €3 per journey and are available on board. Like the train service from Palma, the tram service is very crowded, especially before the last train to Palma leaves in the evening.

See

• Theres an interesting and some would say beautiful church in the centre of Soller that was built by one of Gaudis students.

• The town of Soller is located in a bowl surrounded by mountains which makes for very good walking.

• You can take the toy train to Palma or take the tram to the Port of Soller or simply wander around and look at the beautiful scenery, streets and houses.

Do

For bike lovers there are great tracks for both roadbiking and mountain biking. Please note that mountain biking is in rocky terrain so one need to be experienced and ride a full suspension bike. The old road to the Soller Pass (since the tunnel opended only a few cars on the road) is a magnificent ride on a road bike. Aprox. 50 hair pins if you cross the pass to the other end of the tunnel. Walking the mountains is popular guides are available.

Eat

Its possible to buy pizza just off the square and there are a couple of new places down the calle dela Luna.

• Bens Daval. Outside Soller there's a place called Bens Daval who serves delicious food. You may have to book in advance.

• Cafe Soller, in the Square. A German run place, but its had the same menue for years and the food could be so much better and more varied.

• Gran Hotel Soller. Serves great food. You may have to book in advance.

• Luna 36, Calle de la Luna 36, ☎ +34 971634739 (info@luna36.com), [2]. A recently re-opened restaurant serving great homemade food. You may have to book in advance.